Tire removing device for breaking the bead of farm tractor tires to facilitate removal from the rim

ABSTRACT

A device or apparatus for &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;breaking&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; the beads of a farm tractor tire mounted on a conventional drop center rim employs a rigid rectangular mounting structure affixed and supported only from the bead-holding shoulder of one side of the rim. Rigid support is obtained by a novel structure of closely interfitting pairs of jaws spaced apart on the frame. With said mounting and pairs of clamping jaws a second function of the clamping action is obtained by interfitting of wedge-shaped claws to slightly displace the bead from the shoulder during clamping action. With said components an elongate, longitudinal bead-displacer is employed readily mounted on the outermost portions of the frame and centrally thereof for longitudinal projection under high pressure force and having a wedge-like head interposed between the upstanding flange of the bead-holding shoulder and the bead. The head of the displacer provided on its outer surface just above its extremity with a profile cam which in the preferred form of the invention rides upon two rigid cam-track surfaces, one being the peripheral edge of the upturned portion of the rim, is moved substantially laterally by the camming action to completely displace the adjacent bead from its shoulder into the drop center of the rim. Only one cycle of operation is necessary for each side of the tire to break the beads and prepare the entire casing for immediate removal.

United States Patent Le Pier [54] TIRE REMOVING DEVICE FOR BREAKING THE BEAD OF FARM TRACTOR TIRES TO FACILITATE REMOVAL FROM THE RIM [72] Inventor: Arvid H. Le Pier, Fosston, Minn.

[73] Assignee: Howard H. Le Pier, Fosston, Minn.

a part interest [22] Filed: July 8, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: $3,215

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 739,284, July 24,

1968, abandoned.

Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Williamson, Palmatier & Bains 51 Dec. 26, 1972 [5 7 ABSTRACT A device or apparatus for breaking the beads of a farm tractor tire mounted on a conventional drop center rim employs a rigid rectangular mounting structure affixed and supported only from the bead-holding shoulder of one side of the rim. Rigid support is obtained by a novel structure of closely interfitting pairs of jaws spaced apart on the frame. With said mounting and pairs of clamping jaws a second function of the clamping action is obtained by interfitting of wedgeshaped claws to slightly displace the bead from the shoulder during clamping action. With said components an elongate, longitudinal bead-displacer is employed readily mounted on the outermost portions of the frame and centrally thereof for longitudinal projection under high pressure force and having a wedgelike head interposed between the upstanding flange of the bead-holding shoulder and the head. The head of the displacer provided on its outer surface just above its extremity with a profile cam which in the preferred form of the invention rides upon two rigid cam-track surfaces, one being the peripheral edge of the upturned portion of the rim, is moved substantially laterally by the camming action to completely displace the adjacent bead from its shoulder into the drop center of the rim. Only one cycle of operation is necessary for each side of the tire to break the beads and prepare the entire casing for immediate removal.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED M1 1912 3.707.179

SHEET 1 OF 4 INVENTOR. dew/0 A A5 P/Ee A 7 ram/5V6 P'ATENTED DEC 26 I972 SHEET 3 OF 4 INVENTOR. RV/p A. 1.5 P45 TIRE REMOVING DEVICE FOR BREAKING THE BEAD OF FARM TRACTOR TIRES TO FACILITATE REMOVAL FROM THE RIM This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 739,284, filed July 24, 1968, now abandoned.

This invention relates to tire-removal apparatus for sue on large tires of the type employed at the present time on farm tractors, and which are mounted on dropcenter rims. The invention has particular application to the beads of such tires to enable fast removal of the tire from the wheel and drop-center rim without requiring detachment of the rim from the tractor.

In the removal of tractor tire casings from wheels and rims, lateral displacement of the tire beads from the shouldered bead-holding portions of the rim, to the drop-center portion is required to flatten a section of the bead before the tire may be removed from the rim. After a section has been flattened at both sides of the tire, the entire bead may be displaced from the angled annular shoulder wherein it has been confined. The lateral displacement of the section of the bead of the tire at both sides thereof is known in the trade as breaking the bead and it will be understood that hereafter where breaking the bead is employed it refers to the flattening and inward lateral movement of a section of the bead, all in the well known trade parlance. The flattened beads are displaced into the dropcenter rim portions.

While the pounding of wedge-shaped bead breaking elements successively interposed between bead and upstanding peripheral portions of a rim have been successfully used for breaking the beads of small tires such as automotive tires, including bus and semi-trailer tires, the problem of removal of the giant farm tractor casings is an exceedingly difficult one and to the best of applicants knowledge has never, prior to this invention, been successfully accomplished.

Manually driven, wedge-like bead displacers driven in by hand or even hydraulically between the peripheral portion of the rim and the adjacent section or sections of the bead of large farm tractor tires has been very inefficient and has often resulted in injury and cutting of cords in the bead as well as indentures which are deleterious to the bead-receiving flanges of the rim. Furthermore present standard procedure for removal of farm tractor tires has required removal of the rim from the tractor wheel as well as a multiplicity of bead-breaking operations.

It is an object of my invention to provide simple but highly efficient and dependable mechanism or apparatus for gradually displacing a section of the tire bead to the extent of flattening or breaking the same without injury to the tire bead or to the rim and its related zones during operation of the mechanism or device, and with application of great and suff cient power and mechanism for producing a substantial lateral displacement of sections of the bead from the shouldered bead-holding zones of the rim to facilitate, after a single application on both beads of the tire, the ultimate removal of the casing from the rim and wheel. It is also to be understood that my apparatus and device is usually employed without removal of the rim from the actual wheel.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a device or mechanism which employs a rigid mounting adapted to be selectively and rigidly interfitted and clamped to two small peripheral sections or. segments only of a wheel rim, thereby, without removal of the rim from the wheel, furnishing a non-shiftable base and mounting from which a cam-actuated novel bead displacer element is projected with provision and assurance of pure lateral movement inwardly of the bead-receiving depression to positively, through applied power or force, break the beads on each side of a mounted casing without injury to the bead, the rim, and the side walls of the tire casing.

Another object is the provision of a device of the class described which is interfitted and very rigidly mounted on the peripheral portion only of a dropcenter farm tractor rim, and which with one operation only on each side of the rim (while on the tractor) adequately breaks the beads to the extent to render the casing immediately removable.

The critical cam actuated lateral displacement referred to, both in the original application and in this continuation-impart, was basically obtained through a convexly curved camming ridge located at the bottom of the displacer element which cooperated with a transversely disposed stationaryand rigid edge in juxta-position to the engaged peripheral portion of the tire rim. Longitudinal projection of the displacer element produced cam riding and substantially pure lateral movement of the displacer element and its contour which engaged the bead of the tire. The invention of my first application, Ser. No. 739,284, in the past year has gained immediate acceptance and wide success and has been sold for more than 9- months by dealers of leading tire manufacturers.

In my original co-pending application the rigid edge employed for the cam riding action consisted entirely in the very peripheral outer edge of the drop center rim which proved highly successful for most farm tire rims which are substantially and relatively rigid.

However, in some cases where the peripheral edges of farm tire rims are somewhat deformable, the powerful, force-projected displacer in the cam riding action has deformed, to some extent, the peripheral edges of such rims and curtailed full effective lateral movement of the displacer element.

The instant application provides as an improvement over my original co-pending application, a new and added mechanism and step of operation wherein the convex cam edge of the displacer relies for initial pure lateral movement on a new cam riding edge supplied by the inherent structure of the removing mechanism itself. After the initial lateral movement or displacement of the bead wherein the greatest breaking force is applied, the cam edge will then ride upon the peripheral edge of the rim. Alternatively, most of the entire pure lateral displacement may be produced from cam riding over the rigid stationary element supplied inherently in the removal mechanism.

From the foregoing description, and taking into consideration all known prior art, it is thought apparent that applicants invention has for the first time produced the following valuable results:

1. A bead-breaking device or apparatus for farm tractor tires which will quickly and accurately perform;

2. Such a device which, with one cycle of operation only on each of the farm tractor beads (while the tire 106012 mos and rim are on the wheel), quickly displaces the beads from the bead-holding rim shoulders into the drop center of the rum; and

3. A bead-breaking device for giant tires mounted on drop center rims which is solidly mounted entirely on a bead-holding shoulder of such rim by two sets of spaced clamping jaws which snugly interfit portions of said shoulder, to the end that no shifting or jogging of the device is possible even when the longitudinal bead displacing element of the combination is subjected to pressures exceeding 15,000 psi.

The foregoing and other important advantages and operation of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following description made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views thereof, and in which the original form of the invention disclosed in my pending application, Ser. No. 739,284, as well as an improved form is shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view partly in exploded style, showing a typical original embodiment of my device or apparatus with important elements thereof detached in position for ultimate installation and cooperation with the rigid mounting frame;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same device, showing the upper portion of a farm tractor tire after the first step of applying a wedge starter element to the bead and to the upstanding peripheral edge of the rim, and during the second step of rigidly clamping the mounting frame to two small, spaced, arcuate sections or segments of the peripheral portion of the rim, such action being accomplished without requirement of detachment of the rim from the wheel of the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a similar perspective view showing the device with the displacer-carrying head operatively and pivotally attached thereto, and showing application of torque, screw power to project and laterally move the bead displacer element of the device;

FIG. 4 is a similar perspective view showing the bead displacer element fully projected through manual torque power applied to the threaded shank of the embodiment shown, and showing the engaged head of the tire fully broken;

FIG. 5 is a detail sectional viewtaken through the clamped, arcuate portion or section of the rim, .upon which my device is mounted, and showing in vertical section, the bead and adjacent side wall of the tire displaced, flattened, and broken down by the combined functions of my device;

FIG. 6 is a detail side elevation of the lower and working portion of the straight starting wedge element which is applicable to both types of the invention disclosed herein;

FIG. 7 is a detail, vertical section (like the section of FIG. 5) showing a simple and improved form of my invention wherein an additional camming operation is employed to prevent injury or deformation in the peripheral flanges and bead-holding shoulder of weaker farm tractor tire rims, and showing a part of the cam riding action on the new and important element provided in my improvement;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 wherein the riding of the cam edge of the displacer has completed its course over the new rigid riding element after initially breaking the bead and application of the greatest force, and in completion movement of laterally displacing the bead from the bead-holding, angular shoulder of the drop-center rim; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the attachment of the very rigid, improved riding surface for the cam,

rigidly coupled with two of the spacers of the main mounting frame, and detached from the mounting frame.

My novel and improved device employs a rigid mounting indicated as an entirety by the letter M, having dual function mechanism for securely and independently clamping the same to a pair of spaced, short, arcuate; peripheral segments of the rim. In the embodiments illustrated, this mounting in the form of a rigid frame, comprises a pair of parallel spaced bars or slabs 10 which, as shown, are secured rigidly together and spaced apart by lower or inward nutted bolt 1 1, having mounted on the greater length thereof, a spacer sleeve 1 la and an outward or upper nutted bolt 12, which carries intermediate of the bars 10, a spacer sleeve 12a. The outer ends of the nutted bolts 11 are threaded and extend through the frame bars 10, shown 'on FIG. 1 at the right, and having locking collars and internally threaded nuts for tightly securing the bolts and two frame members together.

A pair of spaced, rigid, lower clamping jaws 13 are respectively secured to the inward or lower ends of the frame bars 10, as shown, each being in the form of a heavy rigid bar 13 having the left end thereof projecting laterally beyond a longitudinal side of the cooperating frame bar, and each having a rearwardly projecting bar extension 13b which extends outwardly for some distance beyond the opposite longitudinal side of the respective frame member 10. Clamping bars 13 are rigidly. secured to the inward or downward terminal portions of frame bars 10, as by secure welding, and the two bars 13 extend in parallel spaced relation relative to the frame.

A pair of swingably adjustable, upper or outward clamping bars 14 are pivoted on a heavy nutted bolt 16 which interconnects a portion of the frame bars 10, being interposed parallel with and medially between the lower and upper nutted bolts 11 and 12. The'two adjustable clamping bars 14 are spaced apart on nutted bolt 14 by a spacer sleeve 16a, thereby maintaining clamping bars 14 in proper spaced relation for independent adjustment swinging on the axis of nutted bolt 16. Swingable clamping bars 14, at their inward ends, have depending wedge-shaped displacement claws 14a for interiorly interfitting and engaging the inner surface of the upstanding peripheral bead-retaining flange 20 of the rim of a conventional drop-center tractor tire, and they also carry upstanding, somewhat thicker hammerreceiving heads 14b for initially applying pressure and producing some inward displacement against areas of the tire casing immediately adjacent and above the head portion thereof, as the device is secured to the rim and as torque clamping pressure is applied.

Thus the heads and claws of the clamping elements 14 have the dual function of not only securely clamping the entire mounting to the short desired and selected arcuate sections of the large tire rim, but simultaneously as they are being clamped to the rim, produce some lateral displacement of the engaged portion of the tire bead and also the immediately adjacent tire wall merging into the bead of the tire (usually in a range of from h to /4 of an inch).

To forcibly swing the clamping ends of the bars 14 together with the gripping claws 14a into tight engagement with the peripheral flange and underside of the bead-receiving portion 21 of the rim, I provide for each of said bars, a screw 15 carrying at its lower or inward end a nut 15a which is threaded into a tapped socket, in each instance, appropriately oriented in the projecting ends 13b of said lower bars. The extremities of the screw 15 abut against the undersides of the projecting ends 140 of the swingable clamping bars 14 and by torque power, apply very strong clamping pressure.

While I have found in extensive practice that further clamping action is not needed to positively secure the mounting M upon the peripheral portion of the tire rim without danger of jogging or slipping during application of great power to a displacer element, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 6, I provide a lower additional clamping means in the form of an elongated screw 17, detachable and having threaded engagement with a head such as an enlarged nut 17b which is affixed and constitutes a part of a crosshead having trunnions 17a which are mounted for swinging movement in axial aligned portions of a pair of depending rigid plates 18, fixed as by welding to the intermediate portions of the lower rigid jaw bars 13 and extending for some distance therebelow. The two plates 18 are rigidly secured in spaced relation by a nutted bolt 19 having superimposed thereon between the plates 18, a spacing collar 19a. Clamping screw 17 carries a cross handle 170 at the outer end thereof and this screw may be manipulated by hand torque power to apply the extremity of the screw 17 tightly against the undersurface of the holding shoulder portion of the rim 21.

The rigid mounting M with its efficient clamping means is adapted to be secured to two small, spaced arcuate sections of all presently employed farm-tractortire rims and to interfit therewith insofar as the clamping elements are concerned. Such rims are referred to as drop-center rims and have at both the outer and inner sides of the tire wall and rim, upstanding peripheral flanges 20 (see FIG. 5) against the inner surface or shoulders of which the beads of the tire are abutted when the tire is operatively mounted. integrally interconnected with the upstanding peripheral flanges 20 are angular flange shoulders 21 of annular configuration to in each instance, hold the base of the beads of the tire casing. Inwardly of the shoulders 21, drop center portions 22 are integrally provided by the rim structure, disposed usually at least half an inch inwardly and radially from the flanges 21, and interconnected with said flanges by inclined shoulders 22a.

FIG. 5 shows the elements, flanges and shoulders of one half (the outer portion) of a conventional farm tractor rim in vertical or diametric cross section, with one tire bead B of the tire T, and adjacent side wall displaced through the combined functions of my improved apparatus, and with the bead disposed in the drop center portion 22 of the rim.

It will readily be seen that the protruding stationary jaws of the mounting provided by the inner terminal portion 13a of the pair of clamping bars 13, underlie and closely interfit the annular flange 21 for receiving the annular base of the tire head in normal operation, while the claws 14a of the adjustable multi-function jaws 14 in the progressive inward swinging, through action of screws 15, firmly engage and interfit the shoulders afforded by the upstanding peripheral flange 20. Simultaneously in their clamping action and due to the wedge shape of the claws 14a, the adjacent bead is initially displaced inwardly as previously set forth, for a short distance. Simultaneously, with said clamping action the two upstanding head arms 14b of the adjustable clamping bars progressively move inwardly against the portions of the tire casing disposed adjacent and just above the respective beads B.

With the mounting M rigidly attached, it now becomes necessary to smoothly and substantially displace the bead portion of the tire fromthe original operative position shown in FIG. 2, to the fully broken or flattened position shown in FIG. 5, and with the bead then lying in the drop center portion 22 of that side of the rim. The close cooperation of the rigid mounting M with its multi-functional adjustable clamping bars 14 and my novel displacer mechanism, is very significant and responsible for new and previously unaccomplished results where removal of large farm tractor tires and the like is required.

My bead displacer mechanism includes a rigid swivelled crosshead 24 having an axial trunnion 24a at one of the ends thereof which is adapted to be journaled in a bearing aperture 10a formed in one of the upper ends of the rigid frame bars 10. The crosshead 24 is axially tapped at its other end to provide for threaded attachment of an independent trunnion screw 24b which has a cross handle 240 at its outer end. In the structure illustrated the two frame bars 10, it will be noted, are not interconnected at their outer or uppermost portions and can be slightly displaced apart sufficient to accommodate the trunnion 24a in its bearing aperture 10a (near the upper and outward corner of said frame bar 10.). The tapped end of the crosshead 24 may then be interfitted within the upper corner of the parallel spaced frame bar 10, which has an aperture 10b coaxial with the aperture 10a in the first frame bar for receiving the trunnion screw 24b having a crosshead handle 24c. When trunnion screw 24b is affixed the crosshead 24 is mounted for axial swinging within the upper or outer portions of the frame bars. Screw 24b further serves to reinforce the frame bars in spaced relation, near the upper comers of the mounting M.

I provide a unique, power-projected bead displacer mechanism designed as an entirety by the numeral 25 and having an elongated, externally threaded shank 25a which threadedly engages a tapped apertured bore 24d formed through the center of crosshead 24. To substantially magnify torque power applied to the screw shank 25a an elongated lever arm 250 is detachably connected with a suitably apertured portion in the outer end of the threaded shank. The lower working end of the screw shank 25a is swivelly connected as will be later in detail explained, with an annular fitting 25b, which is releasably secured to the displacer element proper, indicated as an entirety by the numeral 26. In FIG. 1 it will be noted (see portion broken away) that a ball pressure pin 27 is affixed axially to the end of the screw shank 25a, bearing against a concave surface 27b which is provided by the upper end of the shank portion of displacer element 26. A threaded screw or plug 29 is removably secured in a tapped aperture in peripheral wall of member 25b, which may be removed for pressure lubricating the interior including the thrust bearing between the ballshaped head the pin 27'and the abutment surface 27b.

Referring now to the functioning end of displacer element 26, it will be noted that a curved wedge-shaped portion 26a (convex) extending outwardly of the terminal portion thereof is provided for thrustand cam riding or bearing against the upper portion of the head of the tire, and terminates in 'a rounded edge 26b (see FIGS. 1 and 4).

Longitudinally and centrally of the side of displacer element 26 nearest the frame mounting end, I provide an important flange-engaging camming member 26c (see FIGS. 1 and This may be integrally formed with the stock of element 26 and is profile in nature, the convexly curved carnming edge which engages the upstanding flange of the tire rim progressively decreasing in radius from its lowermost portion to its emergence into the shank. In other words the curvature of this profile cam is critical and preferably of the curvature of a so-called French curve.

OPERATION OF ORIGINAL EMBODIMENT While in FIGS. 2 through 4 of the drawings, the application of my novel device is shown on a tractor tire and rim with the rim removed from the wheel, it is to be understood that my device is intended primarily and almost always employed on the rim and tire mounted operatively upon a wheel of a tractor. The steps and their sequence in breaking the beads of a farm tractor tire are important and are thought as a method to constitute novel'and patentable subject matter.

In the first step of operation and method, a more or less conventional type of starter wedge shown in detail in FIG. 6, and shown applied in FIG. 2, is lightly driven by a hammer in an inwardly direction relative to the bead, side and peripheral edge 20 of the rim. This action initially separates the chosen portion of the side of the head a slight distance from the peripheral rim flange 20, usually involving a displacement of only A: of an inch or less.

Next the mounting M is very rigidly clamped upon two spaced, small, arcuate sections of the rim by interfitting of the claws 14a against the outwardly projecting and peripheral portion of one side of the drop center rim. In this connection, from inspection of FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, it will be seen that the stationary projecting jaw elements 13a closely interfit at their outer portions, the under surfaces of substantially flat contour of the normal bead base retaining portions 21 of the rim. At the same time the inner surfaces of the claws 14a closely interfit the inner edges of the peripheral flange portion 20 of the rim (see FIG. 5 and also FIG. 4) and an unusually effective clamping action is then obtained with such interfitting when the swingable jaws 14 are actuated towards the stationary jaws extremities 13a. Such close interfitting and independent adjustment for clamping of the claw jaws 14a through torque upon the adjustment screws 15, produces an anchoring at spaced points of the general rigid mounting M in such a way that regardless of the force necessary for later. operation of the displacer, the interfitting claws and stationary jaw members can not slide, shift or jog from their original clamped positions.

Thus it will be seen that without use of any underlying or encircling mechanism for engaging the opposite edge of the rim, without taking the rim off of the wheel of the tractor, the mounting M through its jaws is interfitted with and rigidly connected in a positive manner to a relatively small sector of the rim at spaced areas. I

If it is desired to further reinforce the mounting, the threaded clamping screw 17 may be tightened with its inner end abutting the under surface of the bead-seating shoulder 21, although this has been found entirely unnecessary in extensive actual use of my device.

As the clamping screws 15 are tightened, the depending claws 14a produce an initial lateral displacement of the bead along two sectors and laterally of the shoulder (upper surface) 21, while simultaneously the clamping action proceeds and the outer surfaces of the heads 14b as well as the claws, press inwardly against the adjacent side walls of the tire, just above the bead zone The clamping step and several functions are illustrated in FIG. 2. Clamping is continued with the incidental lateral displacement until the lower ends of the claws touch against the outer surface of the bead holding portions 21 of the rim.

Thereafter, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the swingable crosshead 24 is engaged by its pivot trunnions 24a and 24b in the apertures 10a and 10b of the upstanding corners of the frame slabs 10, said head carrying the novel and effective'displacer mechanism indicated as an entirety by the number 24. The displacer element proper 26 is then properly engaged in the then existing space between the shoulder of the upstanding bead flange 20 on one peripheral inner side of the rim and is slightly forced therein.

Power is then applied to the shank 25a which in the form of FIGS. 1 through 5,'is threadedly connected with the crosshead 24. The lever arm 27 enables an operator to apply very strong torque to the displacement member and since the shank 25a is swivelly connected with the displacer head 26, longitudinal and power-projection of element 26 is obtained in a direction diagonal to the bead-holding portion 21 of the rim and also to the outside of the tire.

It will be understood that in lieu of applying manual torque power to the threaded shank 250, a hydraulic piston may be supplied on the crosshead 24, and then valve controlled with a pump to provide hydraulic projection, with great power on the displacer element.

Due to the novel and peculiar nature of displacer element 26, with its convex camming surface 26c and with the pivotal connection of the upper end of shank 25a with the crosshead in the mounting, a downward projection of the displacer element produces quite sub stantial lateral spreading action against the engaged bead of the tire. The spreading action, while partial through the wedge-shaped portion 26a of the spreader, is chiefly created and assured by the camming action of the profile camming surface 26b on the outer side of the displacer head. The reversibly grooved underside of the displacer head with the profile camming element 26c engages in the original form of my invention, the edge of the rim flange 20. It should be noted that the preferred shape of this profile cam 260 is that of a French curve, being of a progressively increasing radius from the lower edge thereof to the upper edge, which merges with the lower shank portion of displacer head 26.

The displacement of the abutted bead portion of the large tire casing is shown as completed in its beadbroken position in FIG. 5, where the displaced portion is flattened, broken and actually laterally moved and dropped to the drop center portion 22 of the rim.

It is to be understood that the breaking of one segment of the bead of one side of the tire, and a corresponding section on the opposite side of the tire, completes the break necessary to quickly and manually, or by simple tool, displace the entire circumference of the bead into the drop center of the rim,

whereafter the casing and tube (if tube is included) are quickly removed from the wheel.

It will of course be understood that my device is similarly applied and operated on the far side of the tire and wheel where, however, the fenders usually employed on tractor wheels require that the mounting be attached to a lower rather than an upper segment or section of the periphery of the wheel rim.

With the combination of elements described, the actuation of the displacer, with slight pivoting in its longitudinal movement about the pivot 24a, it is impossible to cut or injure the cords or other fabric of the bead throughout the entire action.

ANOTHER EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION A second and improved embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 9 of the drawings. This embodiment dispenses with the unnecessary additional rim clamping means comprising the screw threaded clamp element and its threaded and journaled socket 17b. It employs, however, the highly efficient mounting frame with its spaced apart rigid body slabs 10, its spaced parallel stationary clamping jaws 13 which at their ends towards the tire perfectly interfit with the under planar surfaces of the drop center of tractor tire rim and employs also the independently adjustable and swingable cooperating jaws 14 having the closely interfitting claw members 14a for conforming closely to the interior shape of the peripheral portion of the rim and for the dual function of initially in clamping action producing a displacement approximately of an inch of the bead of the tire and the immediate side wall of the casing from the bead-holding shoulder which comprises the upper surface of the base-receiving flange 21 and the interior surface of the peripheral flange 20.

The similar parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 9 inclusive are similarly numbered to the original embodiment first described, and it will be understood that the longitudinally projectable displacer element and operating mechanism 25 and 26 are identical with the form first described and may be actuated by multiplied torque power upon the elongate shank 250 or may be actuated by an elongated shank slidably mounted to receive from a valved pump or other hydraulic medium a very powerful thrust. Incidentally, the power required for essential forcible projection of the displacer element prime, identified as an entirety by the numeral 26, should exceed 6000 psi.

In this second form of the invention, the transverse bolts 16 and 11 are preferably increased slightly in diameter for strengthening purposes as are the spacer collars 16a and 11a mounted thereon for spacing and rigidifying the slabs 10 of the frame mounting M.

A very rigid, metallic, cam-guiding block 30 is provided withits inner end 30a extending at its upper surface in juxtaposed relation to the peripheral edge of the outer angled flange 20 of the rim and in a declined rela tion relative to the peripheral edge of said flange and slightly above the same. The upper corner of the end or edge 30b of the cam-guiding block 30 is disposed inthe path of the profile convex cam 260 of the displacer element so that, as shown in FIG. 7, by a longitudinal projection of the displacer element 26 with its tapered extremity 26b disposed in the displacement space (of a width approximating '/4 inch), the convex peripheral cam will first contact the upper surface of the block 30 adjacent the projecting end 30b and -will ride thereon producing an initial almost pure lateral displacement of the head of the tire during such operation.

Thereafter peripheral cam 26c rides past the very corner edge at the end 30a of block 30 and is further thrust into engagement as in the first form described with the very peripheral edge of the exterior rim flange 20. Further projection causes,after the great force needed for originally breaking the tire bead, the peripheral cam 26c to ride upon the peripheral edge or flange 20 exerting further almost pure lateral movement sufficient, as shown in FIG. 8, to break the tire bead and adjacent side wall of the tire and to force the same laterally from the shoulder provided by rim parts 21 and 20 into the drop center portion 22a of the rim.

The proper positioning and rigid mounting of the block 30 is highly essential to the added operational step of my method and the new functional results obtained. After substantial experimentation I find that the proper inclination of the cam-guiding block 30, as shown in FIGS-'7 and 8, should be obtained by the production of a block of such thickness that its upper surface near an end thereof could be very rigidly secured, preferably by welding W, to the outer portion of the block with the somewhat enlarged spacer sleeve 16a which surrounds the rugged crosspin l6, and similarly by welding the underside of the block near and just behind its outer edge 30a through welding W to longer spacer sleeve 11a, which is slidably disposed upon the heavy crosspin 1 1.

Thus as shown in FIG. 9, a new and improved camguiding means or track, indicated as an entirety by the letter G, is provided and through its inherent structure is very rigidly and ruggedly aff xed transversely of the spaced slabs 10 of the mounting end. This added and improved mechanism G receives the high power thrust upon the shank portion 24 and displacer element 26 sustaining the substantial shock thereof and guiding the profile cam 260 to the point where lateral and almost pure lateral displacement of the tire bead B is affected through half the requisite distance to break the bead.

The mechanism G, as shown in FIG. 9, comprises the very heavy rectangular block 30 with the profile camguiding surface 30b at upper surface near the transverse end 30a of the block and also includes the transverse spacer sleeves 16a and 11a which are, with precision, welded to the upper and lower surfaces of the block 30.

The thickness and strength of the spacer sleeves 16a, 11a and of the rigid block 30 are such that combined with the heavy transverse bolts or pins 16 and 11 the main high power pressure action downwardly or inwardly towards the rim of the overall replacer up and to a force of 18,000 p.s.i. can be taken without distortion of any of the parts of the mounting frame including the elements of the mechanism G. In stating this, of course we take consideration of the track action furnished by the portion 30b of the block in the riding of cam 26c thereover. After this high power initial lateral movement of the convex displacer surface 26a of the displacer element 26, balance of the cam riding is comparatively simple and the profile camming surface 26c engages against and rides over the outward peripheral edge of the flange of the rim without any danger of deforming or injuring the same, and thus assures that the maximum requisite displacement of the tire bead B from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the fully displaced position shown in FIG. 8 is assured.

It will be apparent that a high bead-breaking power is efficiently applied longitudinally of the elongate displacer mechanism in a downwardly-triangulated manner from the heavy rigid slab sides of mounting M which are spaced equi-distant from the longitudinal center line of the displacer.

It will be understood that in this second form of the invention, as well as in the first form described, only one bead-breaking operation on each side of the tire casing is required to render the tractor tire readily removable from the drop center portion of the rim with the use only of ordinary tire irons.

From the foregoing detailed descriptions of two embodiments of my invention it will be seen that such invention includes a new combinationand sequence of method steps producing important new results never previously obtained by the prior art. It is submitted therefore that applicant should be entitled to method claims as well as to structural claims.

Characterizing the method, combination and sequence of steps described previously in this application it is thought that the following is an accurate resume of the essential steps employed in combination and relating to both embodiments of the structure described herein, to wit:

The method for breaking the beads of farm tractor tires operatively mounted on drop center rims and, while the tires are positioned on the tractor wheels, to facilitate immediate removal of the tire from the rim, which first generally employs the step of laterally displacing the bead of the tire slightly (approximating V4 inch) from its bead-holding shoulder of the drop center rim; by abutting and interfitting two closely spaced stationary jaws against the flat underside of the bead-holding shoulder while applying opposing inward clamping pressure to two correspondingly spaced wedge-shaped movable jaws initially disposed in close interfitting relation between the interior surface of said shoulder and the adjacent outermost portion of the said head; then inserting a diminished extremity of an elongate displacer medium having a wedge-shaped head into the narrow displacement space produced by the first step and with the displacer element having a profile convex cam projecting from the inner surface of said head and some distance above said extremity; and thereafter longitudinally projecting the displacer medium through application of a strong power force and thereby causing saidprofile cam to ride upon a substantially horizontal rigid track element provided in juxtaposition to the displacer engaged portion of the tire casing to produce a substantial and almost purely lateral displacement of the bead from the said shoulder into the drop center portion of the rim.

In the second form of the invention all steps set forth in the above paragraph are included but an additional lateral displacing step is employed. More specifically, in the second form a cam riding block is rigidly provided in the inherent structure of the mounting, and in the first part of the longitudinal projection of the displacer medium the profile cam rides for some distance sustaining the first force applied longitudinally of said element; thereafter the cam follower rests upon the immediate adjacent peripheral portion of the rim and is guided thereby in a second step of substantially pure lateral displacement of the displacer head.

Since drop center rims for tractor tires vary somewhat in construction and in the width of the beadholding shoulders; and since the beads of tires vary where in some cases the exterior bead portions protrude beyond the engaged bead-holding shoulders when operatively applied, an additional method step is often needed preliminary to the substantially one fourth inch displacement of the head from the shoulder through the cooperating clamping effect of the interfitting, stationary and swingable jaws. Thus, where the exterior portion of the bead somewhat overlies the outwardly extending peripheral flange 20 of the drop center rim, the step of initially having a thin starting wedge between the external portion of the bead and the bead-holding shoulder on the peripheral rim portion is desirable and in a number of instances, essential.

In this connection the mounting M is applied, without the connection of the shank 25 and displacer head mechanism 26, connected to the mounting frame, uninterruptedly leaving a central space between the rigid slabs ll) of the mounting for manually driving the profile narrow starter, element X between the peripheral portion 20 of the rim and the immediately adjacent external portion of the'bead, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The elongate starting tool X is then left in its driven position, having moved the external portion of the bead a very slight distance approximating A; of an inch, more or less, in displacement and until the lower end of the starting tool X is driven substantially to the bottom of the rim-holding bead shoulder. This nicely provides an entrance space or portion for the two inward claws 14a of the jaw members 14, which as shown in FIG. 2, is being tightened and very rigidly secured at two spaced rim segment portions to the rim. Then, after the displacement by the two sets of cooperating, closely interfitting jaw elements, all without interference from the elongate displacer and camming element, the displacement by approximately a A of an inch of the entire external part of the head from the outstanding peripheral rim portion of the rimholding shoulder is accomplished. Further, it should be pointed out that by the detachment of the entire elongate displacer mechanism and its swingable head 24, rigid attachment of the mounting M is facilitated due to the fact that the longitudinal displacer mechanism with its head, weighs from about 10 to 12 pounds while the remaining parts of the device, including the two sets of tions to facilitate immediate removal of the tire even jaws weighs from about 13 to 16 pounds. Such removawhen positioned on the tractor wheels having in comble feature of the longitudinal displacement and bination:

camming mechanism constitutes an important and new a rigid, generally rectangular mounting frame entireadvantage of my overall mechanism and device. Also, 1y supported from one of said angular peripheral in removing the mounting and device from the rim after portions of said rim and having a pair of spaced, the bead is thoroughly broken, the entire longitudinal rigid walls which act as a base of resistance for a displacer mechanism, including the shank and its parts, displacer mechanism,

the head and projectible wedge and cam elements, are two Spaced Sets of cooperating jaws mmmted and as a unit removed by simply unscrewing the trunnion sp 0!! Said frame g g g and closely 24b before the rigid mounting has been released. terfitting two spaced angular peripherally flanged,

What is claimed is: bead-holding segments of a side of said rim, each 1. Apparatus for breaking the beads of farm tractor of said jaw sets having an upper jaw provided with tires mounted on drop center rims having angular l 5 an angled wedge claw for engaging and interfitting peripheral portions while the same are positioned on g the inner surface of a peripheral flange portion of the tractor wheels, to facilitate immediate removal of said rim, and having a lower opposed jaw for unthe tire having in combination: derlying and snugly interfitting the adjacent a rigid, generally rectangular mounting frame entireshoulder provided by said tire rim inwardly of said ly supported from one side of the drop center rim 2O peripheral flange, and having a pair of spaced, rigid walls and acting independent means for each of said jaw sets for forcas a base of resistance for a displacer mechanism, ing said jaw elements to clamp very tightly against two spaced sets of cooperating jaws mounted and said respective, bead-holding portions of the rim, spaced on said frame for engaging and interfitting and while so doing to produce a relatively small two spaced angular peripherally flanged, bead- 25 lateral displacement of the engaged bead portions holding segments of a side of said tire rim, of the tire,

each of said jaw sets having an upper jaw provided a mounting head swingably mounted at an outer porwith an angled wedge claw for engaging and intertion of said rigid frame for swinging on an axis fitting the inner surface of a peripheral flange pordisposed transversely of said frame, tion of said drop center rim, an elongate bead-displacer mechanism having an and having a lower opposed jaw for underlying and outer shank mounted in said head with its center interfitting the adjacent shoulder provided by said line directly obliquely and generally inwardly in tire rim inwardly 0f Sai perip eral fla ge, the direction of the narrow space between the independent means for each of said jaw sets for forcb d of the tire and said selected peripheral seging said jaw elements to clamp very tightly against ent of th tire rim, and disposed in equally Said respective bead-holding Portions of the rim, spaced relation between said pair of spaced rigid and while so doing to produce a relatively small, ll f the frame, said shank being mounted in lateral displacement of the engaged bead portions said head for powered longitudinal projection and of the tire, retraction,

a mounting h ad swingably m d at a Outer P said displacer mechanism having a terminal displacer tion of Said rig frame for g g on n aXiS element convexly curved on its underside for disposed transversely of Said frame, camming engagement and riding upon a transveran elongate bead-displacer means having an outer l di d i h l portion f id i i shank mounted in said head with its center line d h d on i opposite d outer id directed obliquely and generally inwardly in the vilinearly for abutment against said tire bead, and direction of the narrow space between the bead of aid di placer element through said camming enthe tire and said Selected peripher l Segments o gagement with said peripheral portion of the tire the tire rim, and disposed in equally spaced relarim producing in the projection of said shank subtion between the pair of spaced rigid walls of Said stantially purely lateral movement against the tire fra e, head to displace the same substantially inwardly said shank being mounted in said head for longitufrom the bead-engaging shoulder of the rim, and

dinal projection and retraction, in addition to the peripheral portion of said rim consaid displacer means having a convexly shaped terstituting an edge for camming and riding engageminal displacer element on its underside for ment of said convex shape an additional transverse camming engagement with transversely disposed and stationary element in the form of a rigid peripheral portions of said tire rim and shaped on member affixed to said mounting frame and having its opposite and outer side curvilinearly for abutan edge disposed in juxta-position to the ment against said tire bead, peripheral flange of said rim, disposed between said displacer element through said cam engagement said frame members and generally parallel thereto. with said transversely disposed stationary edge 3. The structure and combination set forth in claim 2 producing inward and substantially purely lateral wherein, movement thereof against said bead to displace said displacer element has a curved convex profile the same inwardly from said bead-engaging cam on the underside thereof, disposed somewhat shoulder into the drop center portion of said rim. above the terminal end thereof,

2. Apparatus for breaking the beads of farm tractor and wherein said transversely disposed stationary tires mounted on rims having angular peripheral poredge constitutes at least in part a rigid cam riding element affixed centrally and rigidly between said two spaced rigid walls of said mounting frame, near the bottom thereof, and having a cam-riding surfacedisposed outwardly of the peripheral adjacent flange edge of said drop center rim and extending substantially parallel with said edge. 4. A method for breaking the beads of farm tractor tires mounted upon drop center rims while the same are positioned upon the tractor wheels, to facilitate immediate removal of the tire from its rim which consists laterally displacing the bead of a tire slightly from its bead-holding shoulder of the drop center rim by abutting and interfitting, two closely spaced stationary jaws against the flat under side of the said bead-holding shoulder while applying opposing inward clamping pressure to two correspondingly spaced, wedge-shaped movable jaws initially disposed in interfitting relation between the interior surface of said shoulder and the adjacent outermost portion of the said bead, then inserting the diminished extremity of an elongate, generally wedgeshaped displacer element in the narrow displacement space-produced by said first step, said displacer element having a profile convex cam protruding from its inner surface above its said extremity, 1

thereafter longitudinally projecting said displacer element through application of a strong power force and thereby causing said profile cam to ride upon a substantially perpendicular rigid track element fixed in juxta-position to the displacer-engaged portion of the tire case to produce a substantially pure lateral displacement of said bead from said shoulder into the drop center portion of the rim.

5. The method and combination of steps set forth in claim 4 further characterized by forcibly interposing between the external edge of the tire bead and its bead-holding shoulder, a thin starter wedge to initially displace the bead very slightly from its bead-holding shoulder prior to application of the steps of claim 7 and in a position radially of the tire bead and centrally between the positions occupied by the two wedge-shaped movable jaws in the next. subsequent step.

6. The method and steps set forth in claim 4 further characterized by causing said profile cam to ride upon a first rigid track element disposed perpendicularly to the projection of said displacer element and rigidly affixed in slightly spaced, substantially parallel relation to the extreme outer flange edge of said drop-center rim during a predetermined first projection of said displacer element and thereafter in further longitudinal projection of said displacer element causing said profile convex cam to ride upon the adjacent peripheral flange edge of said top-center rim.

7. Apparatus for readily breaking the beads of large farm tractor tires and the like mounted on rims having cross sectionally angular peripheral bead-holding sides, said apparatus facilitating removal of the tire without requiring removal of the rim from the tractor wheel and having in combination:

a rigid mounting frame entirely supported from one side of said rim and comprising a pair of rigidly interconnected spaced walls,

two spaced sets of cooperating jaws secured to the lower portions of said frame and each set being disposed adjacent one of said walls and spaced apart to accommodate a displacer mechanism therebetween,

each of said jaw sets having an upper jaw provided with an angled wedge claw having an inner surface for engaging and snugly interfitting the inner surface of the peripheral bead-holding flange of said rim side and having a somewhat angled wedge surface for engaging and interfitting the inner surface of the tire bead, 7 each of said sets having a lower opposed jaw generally extending at an angle approaching perpendicular to said wedge claw and shaped to underlie, and closely interfit the adjacent angle shoulder provided by the tire riminwardly of said peripheral flange, 7 independently adjustable means for each of said jaw sets for forcing said jaw elements to clamp very tightly against said respective bead-holding portions of the rim and while so doing to produce a relatively small lateral displacement of the engaged bead portions of the tire,

a mounting head mounted traversely at the outer portion of said rigid frame and extending tranversely between said rigid walls,

elongate bead-displacer mechanism having an outer shank mounted in said head with its center line directed obliquely and generally inwardly in the direction of the portion of the bead of the tire between said two sets of jaws, said shank being mounted in said head for powered longitudinal projection and retraction,

said displacer mechanism having an axial terminal displacer element at the inner end thereof having a longitudinal curvilinear shape for nicely fitting the bead portion of the tire between said jaws, said shape extending to a terminal rounded portion and forcible projection of said displacer mechanism longitudinally causing lateral movement of said terminal element and the portion of the tire bead engaged, and

wherein the lower jaw of each of said jaw sets constitutes a bar-like member rigidly affixed to one of said side walls at the lower portion thereof and projecting angularly from said frame with a substantially flat surface adapted to snugly fit against the inner shoulder of the peripheral wall of one of the sides of said rim,

the wedge-shaped jaw of each set comprising a bar member pivotally mounted at one end on a heavy cross pin interconnecting the side walls of said frame and disposed snugly against the inside of one of said walls through the medium of spacer mechanism on said cross pin,

said bars at their outer operating end having in each instance a cross wedge member diminished at its downward edge for a limited wedge action between the flanged periphery and bed of the tire and having its upper end smoothly shaped for contacting the bead of said tire at a small area somewhat above or outwardly of the side of the tire rim, and

screw means for swinging the bars of said upper sets of jaws downwardly into forced clamping action. 

1. Apparatus for breaking the beads of farm tractor tires mounted on drop center rims having angular peripheral portions while the same are positioned on the tractor wheels, to facilitate immediate removal of the tire having in combination: a rigid, generally rectangular mounting frame entirely supported from one side of the drop center rim And having a pair of spaced, rigid walls and acting as a base of resistance for a displacer mechanism, two spaced sets of cooperating jaws mounted and spaced on said frame for engaging and interfitting two spaced angular peripherally flanged, bead-holding segments of a side of said tire rim, each of said jaw sets having an upper jaw provided with an angled wedge claw for engaging and interfitting the inner surface of a peripheral flange portion of said drop center rim, and having a lower opposed jaw for underlying and interfitting the adjacent shoulder provided by said tire rim inwardly of said peripheral flange, independent means for each of said jaw sets for forcing said jaw elements to clamp very tightly against said respective beadholding portions of the rim, and while so doing to produce a relatively small, lateral displacement of the engaged bead portions of the tire, a mounting head swingably mounted at an outer portion of said rigid frame for swinging on an axis disposed transversely of said frame, an elongate bead-displacer means having an outer shank mounted in said head with its center line directed obliquely and generally inwardly in the direction of the narrow space between the bead of the tire and said selected peripheral segments of the tire rim, and disposed in equally spaced relation between the pair of spaced rigid walls of said frame, said shank being mounted in said head for longitudinal projection and retraction, said displacer means having a convexly shaped terminal displacer element on its underside for camming engagement with transversely disposed peripheral portions of said tire rim and shaped on its opposite and outer side curvilinearly for abutment against said tire bead, said displacer element through said cam engagement with said transversely disposed stationary edge producing inward and substantially purely lateral movement thereof against said bead to displace the same inwardly from said bead-engaging shoulder into the drop center portion of said rim.
 2. Apparatus for breaking the beads of farm tractor tires mounted on rims having angular peripheral portions to facilitate immediate removal of the tire even when positioned on the tractor wheels having in combination: a rigid, generally rectangular mounting frame entirely supported from one of said angular peripheral portions of said rim and having a pair of spaced, rigid walls which act as a base of resistance for a displacer mechanism, two spaced sets of cooperating jaws mounted and spaced on said frame for engaging and closely interfitting two spaced angular peripherally flanged, bead-holding segments of a side of said rim, each of said jaw sets having an upper jaw provided with an angled wedge claw for engaging and interfitting the inner surface of a peripheral flange portion of said rim, and having a lower opposed jaw for underlying and snugly interfitting the adjacent shoulder provided by said tire rim inwardly of said peripheral flange, independent means for each of said jaw sets for forcing said jaw elements to clamp very tightly against said respective, bead-holding portions of the rim, and while so doing to produce a relatively small lateral displacement of the engaged bead portions of the tire, a mounting head swingably mounted at an outer portion of said rigid frame for swinging on an axis disposed transversely of said frame, an elongate bead-displacer mechanism having an outer shank mounted in said head with its center line directly obliquely and generally inwardly in the direction of the narrow space between the bead of the tire and said selected peripheral segments of the tire rim, and disposed in equally spaced relation between said pair of spaced rigid walls of the frame, said shank being mounted in said head for powered longitudinal projection and retraction, said displacer mechanism having a terminal displacer element convexly curved on its underside for camming engagement and riding upon a transversely disposed pEripheral portion of said tire rim and shaped on its opposite and outer side curvilinearly for abutment against said tire bead, and said displacer element through said camming engagement with said peripheral portion of the tire rim producing in the projection of said shank substantially purely lateral movement against the tire bead to displace the same substantially inwardly from the bead-engaging shoulder of the rim, and in addition to the peripheral portion of said rim constituting an edge for camming and riding engagement of said convex shape an additional transverse and stationary element in the form of a rigid member affixed to said mounting frame and having an edge disposed in juxta-position to the peripheral flange of said rim, disposed between said frame members and generally parallel thereto.
 3. The structure and combination set forth in claim 2 wherein, said displacer element has a curved convex profile cam on the underside thereof, disposed somewhat above the terminal end thereof, and wherein said transversely disposed stationary edge constitutes at least in part a rigid cam riding element affixed centrally and rigidly between said two spaced rigid walls of said mounting frame, near the bottom thereof, and having a cam-riding surface disposed outwardly of the peripheral adjacent flange edge of said drop center rim and extending substantially parallel with said edge.
 4. A method for breaking the beads of farm tractor tires mounted upon drop center rims while the same are positioned upon the tractor wheels, to facilitate immediate removal of the tire from its rim which consists in: laterally displacing the bead of a tire slightly from its bead-holding shoulder of the drop center rim by abutting and interfitting, two closely spaced stationary jaws against the flat under side of the said bead-holding shoulder while applying opposing inward clamping pressure to two correspondingly spaced, wedge-shaped movable jaws initially disposed in interfitting relation between the interior surface of said shoulder and the adjacent outermost portion of the said bead, then inserting the diminished extremity of an elongate, generally wedge- shaped displacer element in the narrow displacement space produced by said first step, said displacer element having a profile convex cam protruding from its inner surface above its said extremity, thereafter longitudinally projecting said displacer element through application of a strong power force and thereby causing said profile cam to ride upon a substantially perpendicular rigid track element fixed in juxta-position to the displacer-engaged portion of the tire case to produce a substantially pure lateral displacement of said bead from said shoulder into the drop center portion of the rim.
 5. The method and combination of steps set forth in claim 4 further characterized by forcibly interposing between the external edge of the tire bead and its bead-holding shoulder, a thin starter wedge to initially displace the bead very slightly from its bead-holding shoulder prior to application of the steps of claim 7 and in a position radially of the tire bead and centrally between the positions occupied by the two wedge-shaped movable jaws in the next subsequent step.
 6. The method and steps set forth in claim 4 further characterized by causing said profile cam to ride upon a first rigid track element disposed perpendicularly to the projection of said displacer element and rigidly affixed in slightly spaced, substantially parallel relation to the extreme outer flange edge of said drop-center rim during a predetermined first projection of said displacer element and thereafter in further longitudinal projection of said displacer element causing said profile convex cam to ride upon the adjacent peripheral flange edge of said top-center rim.
 7. Apparatus for readily breaking the beads of large farm tractor tires and the like mounted on rims having cross sectionally angular peripheral bead-holding sides, said apparatus facilitating removal of the tire without requiring removal of the rim from the tractor wheel and having in combination: a rigid mounting frame entirely supported from one side of said rim and comprising a pair of rigidly interconnected spaced walls, two spaced sets of cooperating jaws secured to the lower portions of said frame and each set being disposed adjacent one of said walls and spaced apart to accommodate a displacer mechanism therebetween, each of said jaw sets having an upper jaw provided with an angled wedge claw having an inner surface for engaging and snugly interfitting the inner surface of the peripheral bead-holding flange of said rim side and having a somewhat angled wedge surface for engaging and interfitting the inner surface of the tire bead, each of said sets having a lower opposed jaw generally extending at an angle approaching perpendicular to said wedge claw and shaped to underlie and closely interfit the adjacent angle shoulder provided by the tire rim inwardly of said peripheral flange, independently adjustable means for each of said jaw sets for forcing said jaw elements to clamp very tightly against said respective bead-holding portions of the rim and while so doing to produce a relatively small lateral displacement of the engaged bead portions of the tire, a mounting head mounted traversely at the outer portion of said rigid frame and extending tranversely between said rigid walls, elongate bead-displacer mechanism having an outer shank mounted in said head with its center line directed obliquely and generally inwardly in the direction of the portion of the bead of the tire between said two sets of jaws, said shank being mounted in said head for powered longitudinal projection and retraction, said displacer mechanism having an axial terminal displacer element at the inner end thereof having a longitudinal curvilinear shape for nicely fitting the bead portion of the tire between said jaws, said shape extending to a terminal rounded portion and forcible projection of said displacer mechanism longitudinally causing lateral movement of said terminal element and the portion of the tire bead engaged, and wherein the lower jaw of each of said jaw sets constitutes a bar-like member rigidly affixed to one of said side walls at the lower portion thereof and projecting angularly from said frame with a substantially flat surface adapted to snugly fit against the inner shoulder of the peripheral wall of one of the sides of said rim, the wedge-shaped jaw of each set comprising a bar member pivotally mounted at one end on a heavy cross pin interconnecting the side walls of said frame and disposed snugly against the inside of one of said walls through the medium of spacer mechanism on said cross pin, said bars at their outer operating end having in each instance a cross wedge member diminished at its downward edge for a limited wedge action between the flanged periphery and bed of the tire and having its upper end smoothly shaped for contacting the bead of said tire at a small area somewhat above or outwardly of the side of the tire rim, and screw means for swinging the bars of said upper sets of jaws downwardly into forced clamping action. 